Italy's Olympic Speed Skater Proves Athletes Can Have Gold Medals and Motherhood

The Italian Ice Sports Federation (FISG) is now operating what is the country's most visible showcase for combining elite athletics with motherhood, thanks to speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida, who delivered two gold medals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games—less than three years after giving birth to her son, Tommaso.

Why This Matters

• Historic milestone: Lollobrigida became the first Italian woman to win Olympic gold in speed skating, setting an Olympic record in the 3000m on her 35th birthday.

• Policy precedent: The FISG's support program for mother-athletes—including childcare during training camps and travel stipends—is now available to all women in the federation who want to compete after having children.

• National benefit: A government-backed "Bonus mamme" pays up to €1,000/month for 12 months to qualifying non-professional athletes who meet ISEE income ceilings and competition criteria.

• Cultural shift: Lollobrigida's success is accelerating acceptance that top-tier sport and family life are not mutually exclusive—a message resonating across Italian federations.

Speaking at a Vatican-hosted dialogue on the role of sport at Palazzo Pio in Rome, Lollobrigida made clear she has no immediate competitive plans. "My dream was the Olympics. I brought home two gold medals—I realized the dream of dreams," she said. "Now my son and my husband deserve all my attention, because they stood by me and helped me. It's my turn to return the favor."

Two Golds, One Olympic Record

On February 7, 2026—her birthday—Lollobrigida clocked 3:54.28 in the women's 3000m, breaking the Olympic record and claiming Italy's first gold of the home Games. Five days later she repeated the feat in the 5000m, cementing her place as Italy's most decorated speed skater in Olympic history with multiple career medals across gold, silver, and bronze.

The victories came just 33 months after Tommaso's birth in May 2023. Lollobrigida resumed structured training only four months postpartum, often traveling to long-altitude camps in the Netherlands and Norway—logistically grueling even for athletes without dependents.

Federation Backs Mothers with Money and Childcare

The FISG introduced its special project for mother-athletes in direct response to Lollobrigida's needs, but the program is now federation-wide and covers:

• Childcare during training camps: Payment for a family member or approved caregiver to accompany the athlete, including international trips.

• Accommodation upgrades: Multi-room hotel suites or apartments so athletes can travel with infants and support staff.

• Wildcard re-entry: Athletes who pause competition for pregnancy and childbirth receive automatic invitations to World Cup and international events, bypassing qualification rounds.

• High-performance training partners: Access to elite sparring partners and tailored preparation schedules that account for nursing and family obligations.

At the national level, Italy's Department for Sport offers a "Bonus mamme" cash grant of up to €12,000 (€1,000/month for one year) to non-professional athletes who have competed in Olympic, World, or European championships—or in at least two seasons of a national-level championship—within the past five years. Applicants must meet ISEE income ceilings set by the Department for Sport and cannot already be receiving other maternity-protection benefits.

Pioneering a Path Few Have Walked

Lollobrigida, the great-grandniece of iconic actress Gina Lollobrigida, began skating at 14 months under the coaching of her father, Maurizio. Her return to elite competition defied conventional sport-science timelines and contradicted advice she received from international peers.

"I was the first athlete at the international level in my discipline to try to combine being a mother and an athlete," she explained in Rome. "It wasn't written anywhere that it was possible. We started with the attitude of 'let's try.'"

Her success has drawn attention from rival federations and competitors. "I'm happy if my friends—my adversaries—or other federations take inspiration from the first project dedicated to mothers in my federation," she said. "That makes me truly proud."

The Broader Shift in Elite Sport

Lollobrigida joins a small but growing cohort of elite athletes who have reached the podium after childbirth. American sprinter Allyson Felix returned from an emergency cesarean to win gold at the 2019 World Championships, later forcing Nike to revise its maternity clauses. Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the 100m world title at 32, calling it "a victory for motherhood." Tennis legend Serena Williams won the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, gave birth in September 2017, battled life-threatening postpartum complications, then returned to Grand Slam finals.

In Italy, canoeist Josefa Idem won a world bronze at ten weeks pregnant, while short-track skater Martina Valcepina claimed Olympic relay medals after having twins. Fencer Arianna Errigo won her tenth world title five months after giving birth to twins and served as Italy's flagbearer at the Paris 2024 Games.

Yet institutional support has lagged behind individual determination. The Paris 2024 Olympic Village included a nursery for the first time—a milestone that underscores how recent these accommodations are. Lollobrigida's success at a home Games, in front of packed Italian crowds, has amplified calls for federations across all sports to formalize childcare, travel, and re-entry protocols.

What This Means for Residents

For Italian women in competitive sport, Lollobrigida's trajectory—and the FISG's formalized support—offers a replicable template. Athletes who previously faced the binary choice of career or family now have documented proof that both are possible, provided structural support exists.

Parents and aspiring athletes can reference the "Bonus mamme" program when planning post-pregnancy training. Regional sport clubs and national federations may face pressure to adopt similar wildcard and childcare policies, especially in disciplines—like cycling, rowing, and athletics—where training camps frequently take place abroad.

For policymakers, Lollobrigida's case demonstrates that targeted investment yields measurable results: two Olympic golds on home soil, unprecedented media attention, and a tangible cultural shift in how Italian sport treats motherhood.

No Plans, No Doors Closed

In Rome, Lollobrigida emphasized she is taking an open-ended pause. "For the first time I don't want to plan anything. I just want to enjoy the moment," she said. "I'm not closing doors—including for the federation—but I'm trying to live day by day."

She acknowledged that the visibility of her story has been as meaningful as the medals themselves. "I'm really happy that the Italian public got to know me, understood my story, and appreciated it," she said. "Behind every athlete there's a beautiful story to tell, and I had the perfect showcase to tell mine."

Lollobrigida has previously mentioned the possibility of a second pregnancy after the current competitive season—a statement that, in itself, signals how normalized the athlete-mother identity has become within her world. Whether she returns to competition or steps away permanently, her two gold medals have already rewritten the script for what Italian sportswomen can expect when they choose both the track and the family.